A heated dispute has erupted between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Refinery over allegations that the refinery has sacked hundreds of Nigerian workers and replaced them with foreigners.
In a strongly worded statement, PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, alleged that more than 800 Nigerian workers were unjustly dismissed while over 2,000 Indian nationals were employed in their place, many of them allegedly without valid immigration documents.
“We are deeply saddened to report the unjust termination of over 800 Nigerian workers, whose dedication and service have been integral to the operations of this plant. Instead of valuing and retaining this workforce, management has chosen to replace them with over 2,000 Indian workers,” PENGASSAN said.
The union described the move as a violation of Nigeria’s labour laws and a dangerous precedent for the country’s industrial relations system. It accused the Dangote Group of prioritising profit over ethical practice and workers’ welfare.
PENGASSAN warned that unless all sacked Nigerian workers were reinstated, it would have no choice but to “commence exploring all sections of the Nigerian Constitution and relevant labour laws” to compel compliance. An emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting has been scheduled to decide further action.
“This slave labour of our brothers and sisters must not be tolerated or supported. Injury to one is injury to all,” the union declared, urging Nigerians to rally behind the affected workers.
Dangote Fires Back
But the management of Dangote Refinery dismissed the claims as false and misleading. In a statement, the company insisted that over 3,000 Nigerians are still actively employed at the refinery and that only “a very small number” of staff were affected by what it called a necessary reorganisation.
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“The restructuring became imperative due to intermittent cases of sabotage within the facility, which posed serious risks to human life and safety. The decision was taken in the best interest of the refinery and the country at large,” the company explained.
Dangote Refinery said it continues to hire Nigerians through graduate trainee programmes and experienced hire recruitment processes, stressing that it remains committed to workers’ rights and internationally accepted labour principles.
The management added that the restructuring was part of an audit process to safeguard the long-term stability of a strategic national asset and pledged continued cooperation with regulators, employees, and stakeholders.
Despite the refinery’s rebuttal, the controversy has sparked wider debate about labour practices, foreign recruitment, and the protection of Nigerian jobs in Africa’s largest oil and gas investment.